Great Promarker Tips From Kirsty Wiseman

So while looking on Kirsty Wiseman's blog the other day I saw this video and thought "Why didn't I think of that?" and if you haven't seen it too I know you're going to be saying the same thing. I think these tips are just so clever.
So of course I'm sharing with you because you know what they say..........
"Sharing is Caring!"



For more great tips and ideas check out Kirsty's You Tube Channel and of course Kirsty's blog for lots of inspiration.

Free Calendar Wallpapers From Basic Grey

I don't know if you have already seen these or not but Basic Grey have some gorgeous FREE Wallpaper Calendar downloads on their site.
I just downloaded the March one. It's so pretty and I can't wait for March to come so I can stick it on my laptop.


You can download it HERE at their site.

Rainbow Rice Recipe

The other day I bought some dried apricots to eat as a snack instead of reaching for chocolate or biscuits but even though I loved the sweetness of them I didn't really like that they were so chewy. I had never tried them before so I didn't know what to expect.

I'm trying out new foods and trying to be more healthy.
SO............... I didn't want the apricots to go to waste and looked up some recipes that I thought I might like to use them up and I found this one that seemed perfect.

It's called "Rainbow Rice".
I love rice salad dishes but I generally buy them ready made from the supermarket, I know, I'm fierce lazy but I honestly didn't know how to go about making them myself.
I'm so happy with how this turned out. It's SOOOOOOOO gorgeous and super easy to make!


SO let's get started

First of all let me apologise for the pics. I took them with my phone and some of them didn't come out too good. (Next time I do any cooking I'll take proper pics, I promise)

First of all here's a list of what you need:

Rice
1 Red Pepper
1 Carrot
1/4 Cucumber
8 Dried Apricots
Sunflower Seeds
Juice from 1/2 an Orange
Olive Oil

That's it.

As I said it's so supereasy to make that I probably don't need to do a step by step but here's goes anyway.

Ok so first boil your rice. I used boil in the bag rice because that's what I had. The original recipe tells you all the different rices you can use but as I had this in the press I said I'd try it out. I left the rice cool down and then put it into the plastic tub that I was going to be storing it in (because I hate lots of washing up :-})


Next chop up your red pepper into really small pieces and add it to the tub with the rice.


Grate your carrot.

Add to the tub with the rice and red pepper and mix.

Chop up your cucumber into small pieces (I used 1/4 of a cucumber. The recipe said 1/2 but I found 1/4 was enough for me. It's up to yourself)

Again add to the tub and mix.

Finely chop 8 dried apricots (the recipe says 6 but obviously the reason I was making this was to use up the apricots so I said I'd use 8) and then add them to the tub and mix.

Then get 2 tablespoons of sunflowers seeds (the recipe says you can use pumpkin seeds instead if you have those) and you need to toast them, so what I did was put them on a plate and added a little bit of olive oil and put them in the microwave until they went brown. Next time I make this I'm gonna use more than 2 tablespoonfuls because you wouldn't really notice the 2 tablespoonfuls.


Next you need to add the sunflower seeds to the tub with everything else and add in the juice of half an orange and about 1 tablespoonful of olive oil (the recipe says 2 tablespoons but I don't really like the taste of olive oil so I just put in 1 :-)).

Mix everything together in the tub and that's it.

Didn't I tell you it was really simple?

I had it with some fish and lots of salad and some sweet chili sauce (my fave).
Sorry the picture is crap!

Good thing about this is that it holds in the fridge too and is even nicer the day after making it because the orange juice makes the apricots plump up and they are yummy in it.
I still have more apricots so I'll definitely be making the recipe again and I think I might even add more than 8 to it the next time.

If you want to follow the original recipe I got it at GoodFood.com

Goodbye Susie

I said goodbye to my little Susie today, she had enough and was starting to show signs of being in pain so I made the choice that every pet owner dreads.
It hurts so much right now but I know it was the right thing for Susie.
She was the best dog in the world and my best friend. She was always there wagging her tail or to give me a lick and cuddle.

John Grogan the author of "Marley & Me" said it best when he said
"A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbol means nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his. It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not."

Susie gave me her heart (and more) and she will always have my heart.
I love you little girl and I'm sorry we didn't have longer together.



If I Should Grow Frail
by Julia Napier

If it should be that I grow frail and weak
And pain does keep me from my sleep,
Then will you do what must be done
For this - the last battle - can't be won.

You will be sad I understand
But don't let grief then stay your hand.
For on this day, more than the rest
Your love and friendship must stand the test.

We have had so many happy years,
You wouldn't want me to suffer so.
When the time comes, please, let me go.

Take me to where my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me till the end.
And hold me firm and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time you will agree
It is a kindness you do to me.
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.

Don't grieve that it must now be you
Who has to decide this thing to do.
We've been so close - we two -these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.